An introductory address, delivered to the students of the Medical College of Ohio, November 3, 1847 / by John P. Harrison.
- Harrison, John P. (John Pollard), 1796-1849.
- Date:
- 1847
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An introductory address, delivered to the students of the Medical College of Ohio, November 3, 1847 / by John P. Harrison. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![science are understood, and the measures of the art are employed, among- all christian, civilized, and refined people. And by a properly organized School is intended one which, in a proper locution, has the common num- ber of Chairs, teaching all the important branches, and whose requisitions for graduation are the same as obtain in all respectable institutions. It is objected to the multiplication of Medical Schools, that they fur- nish such facilities and hold cut such inducements, as to tempt young men, with insufficient preparation to enter upon the study of Medicine, and that by granting diplomas upon inadequate prools of acquirements in medicine, they degrade the whole profession. The objector has never, perhaps, re- flected, because he may not be familiar with the real condition of things, that were there no regular medical schools, irregular practitioners would increase more rapidly than they do at present, and that it is best to throw into the market a genuine article, of even inferior value, than to allow an altogether spurious one to take its place. As to the temptation given young men to induce them to solic t the doctorate, which, it is contend- ed, our Medical Schools are derelict in, one answer is sufficient to show the fallacy of the objection. Responsibility, however slight in its exactions, is preferable to irresponsibility in any shape or degree. Suppose there were but four or five Medical Schools in our country, instead of thirty seven, the actual number at present. With the rapidly increasing population of the United Slates, it is apparent that these five or six, or even twice five or six, would be totally inadequate to supply annually the proper num- ber, of physicians for our country. But there is another advantage derived from the multiplication of med- ical schools entirely pretermitted by our objector. ]n this matter, as in all other departments of human life, a gradation will be observed. The older or more celebrated, institutions will actract the largest number of students; even some of the students who attend one course at the less cele- brated schools, will resort at their second session of lectures, to the more renowned seats of instruction. Thus, whilst the less established schools are patronised to a sufficient extent to keep them afloat on the tide, those of more celebrity will maintain their high and palmy state. Again, the number of our schools of medicine has already awakened, and will keep ulive, a generous spirit of emulation. This emulous, and stir- ring spirit of competition provokes to greater exertion in teaching, leads to a more careful selection of professors, and eminently conduces to a more liberal collection of apparatus, and of museums, by which the lectures delivered shall be illustrated and enforced. Already are these beneficial results witnessed, and with the march of time they will go on to develope ^leir force and brilliancy with accumulated activity. This generous spirit of emulation has very noticeably promoted medical literature in our coun- try. This encouraging sign of the times we shall more particularly notice. A still additional auspicious influence exercised by our medical schools is the direct bearing they have in harmonizing the profession, in all its high aims, and ulterior designs of improvement. This effect, by a natural and very operative principle, will follow from similarity of pursuit, and an ardent breathing after the same grand and glorious ends. If our medical schools are thus united in the holy brotherhood of science and humanity, they will send down, through all ranks of the professio.n the same noble aspirations by which they are animated, in reaching after higher mani- festations of excellence, and in maintaining a liberal union with each oth- er in all the great purposes of their endowment. The future or more remote results of this multiplication of schools of medical education, will be realized by young aspirants, who may hereafter derote themselves to the study of medicine. A hope, an aspiration, a de- termination, to become a teacher of medicine, will actuate many young](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21126914_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
